Youngsters Breakthrough....

[LDG]

I know we need to sign some top quality, but ignore that for the time being.

Do we think there will be a breakthrough for any of the youngsters this year, a la Jack a few years back?

We seem to have a couple of lads who could well feature a bit, and to me look very useful players.

Gnabry
Eisfeld
Akpom

It's so difficult to tell if their talent can be transferred into first team football, but every time I've seen Eisfeld (for example) he's looked the nuts.

Everyone always goes on about the failed "project youth"...but realistically, if you look around all of the top teams in the UK, very few players ever make it.

Thoughts?

[Power n Glory]

I've lost interest in the youth development stuff.

[I_Killed_Kenny]

I also like the look of those 3 and reports have been very good on them, plus ollsen as well. Bellerin is also very good from the bits i have seen.

I kinda think if we do have a summer of not making major signings then maybe we should go with some youth, not just in the carling but also in the fa cup as well. Do a fergie when he brought through that young crop of beckham, nevilles etc.

Put it this way if we dont sign a striker i would rather give akpom a chance than champax

[LDG]

Aye. And for all the stuff people say about our youth system not working.....

Gibbs, Wilshere, Cesc, Song, Chesney....they've all played major parts in OUR first team, let alone a bunch of others who have not made the level, but still moved onto reasonable clubs.

I would expect at least one of the current crop to make it.

Eisfeld seems to have the most talent, but it's whether he can build himself up physically IMO.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Isn't the one the club are most excited about Zealem? He's looks a talent on this tour

[Munchies]

There was a time when I bothered with the youth developments, most of you might remember that Young Guns website quite a while back that blogged on it, and I was genuinely interested into how they'd do.

Now though, I don't care, they'll be touted as being good, and end up at a low level Premiership team, play crap and then end up in the championship.

[LDG]

Isn't the one the club are most excited about Zealem? He's looks a talent on this tour

Yeah, but he's only 16 isn't he? Should imagine he has a couple of years in the ressies for now?

Unless he's really awlsome....shame I've missed the games so far...

[I_Killed_Kenny]

yep zealem is really highly rated but i think he may be a bit behind in terms of readiness for 1st team. eisfeld is the one i think is the closest. seems to have a good eye and seems calm and confident and ready to step up.

[Cripps_orig]

None of them have been impressive.

Iirc Gnabry had a couple of games in the first team last season and stunk the place up. Never seen Eisfeld or Akpom.

They might make it, they might not. Don't care anymore. The youth project route has been a failure and I've lost all trust in it.

Buying players is the way to go

[Niall_Quinn]

Kids looked better than the pubfirst teamers on the tour so far. But they all look physically lightweight fro the PL, except Akpom. Lots of potential but we've evidently been having problems translating that to the first team over the last few years. Would be great to see a couple of genuine talents emerge from within but you are always afraid the board will just sell them.